DSA In The News

DSA In The News is a roundup of recent media articles featuring DSA. It is based on links from Chicago DSA's New Ground.

The recent surge of growth has put DSA on the radar for several major outlets. Jennifer Swann touted DSA in Rolling Stone, while Al Jazeera's survey of the growth of the socialist left since Trump leads off with DSA. And national director Maria Svart was interviewed about DSA's post-Trump growth by TeleSUR.

Check out Eviana Hartman’s prescriptions for how to dress for the Resistance (including a mention of DSA swag) at Vogue. Were it not for Trump, I’d say this means DSA fashion has peaked. This would be reassuring to Adam Ozimek at Forbes who led off with DSA: bad socialism, bad.

DSA's involvement in immigration activism has garnered a few mentions. Mike Deehan at WGBH mentioned DSA as part of the Safe Communities Coalition. YDS was among those organizing an immigrant defense protest at Bradley International Airport, according to Michelle at Wesleying. DSA was among the groups defending sanctuary cities in Iowa, according to James Q. Lynch at Quad City Times.

An article by David Taffet at Dallas Voice touted an upcoming LGBT defense demonstration, including DSA among the organizers. Sloan Smith wrote in The Austin Chronicle about Austin TX Democratic Socialists of America Queer Coalition’s work to create a solidarity network against attacks on the LGBTQ commun

Other coverage of DSA's involvement in the resistance includes Derek Robertson's feature at Medill Reports Chicago. The “secret” planning of Super Bowl anti-Trump demonstrations got attention from USA Today, and they managed to get a quote from DSA’s Amy Zachmeyer. Michael Tracey covered that secret Super Bowl demonstration for The Young Turks Network and mentioned DSA.

Lastly, DSA is in the spotlight for asking the hard questions. Unicorn Booty’s R.S. Benedict celebrated Trevor Hill (and DSA) as the “Gay Socialist Hero We Need.” At Death and Taxes Magazine, Jamie Peck included DSA as part of his commentary on Nancy Pelosi’s defense of capitalism. Daniel Marans covered the same town hall comment at The Huffington Post and concluded with comments from DSA Deputy Director David Duhalde. Steve Ahlquist’s coverage of a Rhode Island Town Hall meeting that featured the state’s entire congressional delegation included a mention of DSA at RI Future. That town hall got more coverage by Robert Shaw at RI Future, and DSA got a mention in both reports because DSA members asked awkward questions.

Join DSA members Eric Brasure and Brendan Hamill to discuss the British film Pride (2014). It’s 1984, British coal miners are on strike, and a group of gays and lesbians in London bring the queer community together to support the miners in their fight. Based on the true story of Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners. The film is available for rent on YouTube, Amazon, and iTunes. 8 ET/7 CT/6 MT/5 PT.

Join DSA member and labor historian Susan Hirsch in discussing Union Maids(1976). Nominated for an Academy Award, this documentary follows three Chicago labor organizers (Kate Hyndman, Stella Nowicki, and Sylvia Woods) active beginning in the 1930s. The filmmakers were members of the New American Movement (a precursor of DSA), and the late Vicki Starr (aka Stella Nowicki) was a longtime member of Chicago DSA and the Chicago Women's Liberation Union. It’s available free on YouTube, though sound quality is poor. 8ET/7CT/6MT/5PT.

DSA was concerned to find out that the company that provides our website and online organizing infrastructure, NationBuilder, had as a client the Trump campaign and other right-wing candidates. Progressives built this kind of infrastructure and tools for digital organizing and we have now lost that organizing edge. We are moving to identify other options for a CMS/CRM. As an under-resourced, member funded organization, this move will take time for us to carry out, but it is an important statement for us to make.